We’ve assembled a task force of staff from our Birmingham offices, which include sister brands Southern Living, Coastal Living, MyRecipes, and Oxmoor House, to try the Cooking Light Diet for 3 months and blog about it. Here’s what they’re saying.

Cheryl and her “peanut gallery”, Bete.

I have three observations about my first month following the Cooking Light Diet. They aren’t completely related to each other, but they are my personal discoveries:

1. The Peanut Gallery is a tough audience, but I’ve had some wins.As the parent of a picky elementary schooler, I face the challenge of making meals that pass muster with a tough audience. Our favorite meal so far is Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese with Bacon. It’s super cheesy and flavorful but mild enough for sensitive palates. Full disclosure: I get an extra helping of rejected broccoli, but I think it isn’t too bad of a cheat. The broccoli is yummy, but I would be happier if the young one would just eat the darn vegetable! I’m thinking maybe some of the juices as the dish cooks have dribbled into the rich sauce. I’ll keep looking for recipes that appeal to both of us, but it’s nice to know that I have a few good ones already in the bag.

2. I have never loved leftovers as much as I do now.Because we are a family of two, it’s usually a given that there will be extras. A few recipes serve 2. But most serve 4 or 6. No worries! I portion out what’s left, pack them into a microwave safe ramekin, cover well with plastic wrap, then cover with foil and pop them into the freezer. This is hands-down the best strategy I’ve adopted since starting the Diet. I take these saved treasures to work for lunch, or heat one up on nights when I want a quick dinner solution. It takes so much pressure off, and that means everything!

3. Getting off track does NOT derail the entire Cooking Light Diet train.This past weekend was a tough one. We were so, so busy, and I never had a minute to take care of planning, shopping, or making good healthy meals. What’s more, my freezer arsenal is depleted, and I kept raiding the treats bin because I wasn’t eating regular meals. I started to feel pretty down about it. But it just took getting my Sunday e-mail and the plan for the week to remind me that all isn’t lost. By way of the weekly e-mail, I got the map so I could find my way back to my healthy eating path. I looked at the meal possibilities realistically and only chose three dinners for the week. I picked easy, basically intuitive dishes, so that I wouldn’t have to pour over every step in the cooking methods to make sure it came out correctly. I’m feeling just like that little engine… I know I can do this.